In English, verbs occur in different patterns. For example:
| 1 | V -ing |
The person is better able to start tackling his problems. |
| 2 | V to infinitive |
Women in both categories have wanted to protect traditional professionalism. |
| 3 | V infinitive |
The computer can help solve the problem. |
| 4 | V (that) sentence |
The professor agreed (that) the project had possibilities. |
| 5 | V n -ing |
My supervisor hates me using that computer. |
| 6 | V n to infinitive |
The court ordered the judge to accept the plea. |
| 7 | V n infinitive |
Last month saw inflation rise to 8%. |
| 8 | V n (that) sentence |
She told me (that) he planned to be away all night. |
| 9 | V n -ed |
He had to have the tooth extracted. |
Examples of words which occur in these patterns.
She started walking.
admit, allow, appreciate, attempt, avoid, begin, can't bear, can't help, can't stand, carry on, cease, consider, continue, delay, deny, detest, dislike, enjoy, fancy, finish, forget, give up, go on, hate, imagine, intend, involve, keep, keep on, like, love, mind, miss, postpone, practise, prefer, propose, put off, recommend, regret, remember, resent, resist, risk, start, stop, suggest, try
He expects to fly to Beijing soon.
agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, begin, can't afford, can't bear, care, choose, continue, dare, decide, expect, fail, forget, go on, happen, hate, hesitate, hope, intend, learn, like, love, manage, mean, need, neglect, offer, omit, plan, prefer, prepare, pretend, promise, propose, refuse, regret, remember, seem, start, stop, threaten, try, wait, want, wish, would like
You can help solve the problem.
He did not dare approach the great man.
dare, help, need
The president agreed that the project had possibilities.
admit, assume, believe, bet, consider, decide, deny, doubt, dream, expect, feel, find out, guess, hear, hope, know, pretend, realise, recommend, regret, say, suggest, suppose, think, understand
My husband hates me being a business woman.
anticipate, appreciate, avoid, catch, feel, find, hate, hear, imagine, leave, like, notice, observe, prevent, recall, resist, save, see, show, stop, watch
She persuaded him to leave.
advise, allow, ask, beg, challenge, can't bear, cause, enable, encourage, expect, force, get, hate, help, invite, like, mean, nag, need, need, order, persuade, prefer, recommend, remind, teach, tell, want, warn, wish, would hate, would like
She heard the man laugh.
You can make it happen.
feel, hear, let, make, notice, observe, see, watch
She told me (that) he planned to be away all that night.
assure, bet, convince, guarantee, inform, persuade, promise, reassure, remind, satisfy, show, teach, tell, warn
He needed to have his tooth extracted.
I must get the car serviced.
feel, find, get, hear, keep, make, need, order, report, see, watch, want, would like
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